California § 53123.4 - The 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund is hereby establ

§ 53123.4. The 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund is hereby establ

(a) The 988 State Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund is hereby established in the State Treasury. (b) (1) The fund shall consist of the revenue generated by the 988 surcharge assessed on users under Section 41020 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, which revenue shall be used solely for the operations of the 988 center and mobile crisis teams as defined in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Section 9813(b)(2) of Public Law 117-2). The fund shall also consist of any other appropriations made to it by the Legislature. The Legislature may consider additional uses for the revenue generated by the 988 surcharge based on recommendations made by the California Health and Human Services Agency and the advisory group pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 53123.3. (2) The revenue generated by the 988 surcharge shall, to the extent not prohibited by Section 251a of Title 47 of the United States Code and any applicable rules or regulations adopted by the Federal Communications Commission and in compliance with subdivision (b) of Section 41136 of the Revenue and Taxation Code, be prioritized to fund the following: (A) First, the 988 centers, including the efficient and effective routing of telephone calls, personnel, and the provision of acute behavioral health services through telephone call, text, and chat to the 988 number. (B) Second, the operation of mobile crisis teams accessed via telephone calls, texts, or chats made to or routed through 988 as specified under Section 4(a)(2)(B) of Public Law 116-172. (3) Money in the fund shall not be subject to transfer to another fund or to transfer, assignment, or reassignment for another use or purpose outside of those specified in this article. (4) 988 surcharge revenue in the fund shall be available, upon appropriation by the Legislature, for the purposes specified in this article. (5) The revenue generated by the 988 surcharge shall be used to supplement, not supplant, federal, state, and local funding for 988 centers and behavioral health crisis services. (6) The revenue generated by the 988 surcharge may only be used to fund service and operation expenses that are not reimbursable through Medicaid federal financial participation, Medicare, health care service plans, or disability insurers. (c) The office, in consultation with the State Department of Health Care Services, may adopt regulations regarding how funds received shall be disseminated to support the operations of the 988 system and related behavioral health crisis services. (d) The office shall require an entity seeking funds available through the 988 Suicide and Behavioral Health Crisis Services Fund to annually file an expenditure and outcomes report in a form and manner as determined by the office and the State Department of Health Care Services. The expenditure and outcomes report shall include, but is not limited to, the following: (1) The total budget. (2) Number and job classification of personnel. (3) The number of individuals served. (4) The outcomes for individuals served, if known. (5) The health coverage status of individuals served, if known. (6) Beginning July 1, 2025, to the extent feasible and consistent with paragraph (11) of subdivision (b) of Section 53123.3, measures of system performance, including capacity, wait times, and the ability to meet demand for services. (7) Beginning January 1, 2030, to the extent feasible and consistent with paragraph (11) of subdivision (b) of Section 53123.3 the amount billed to and reimbursed by Medi-Cal or other public and private health care service plans or insurers. (8) The number of individuals who used the service and self-identified as veterans or active military personnel, if known. (e) The State Treasurer shall report annually to the office on fund deposits and expenditures.